title: Fetal cardiac output in monochorionic twins.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare fetal cardiac output (CO) in donor and recipient twins of twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) pregnancies after laser therapy with that of monochorionic twins without TTTS and normal singletons.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a longitudinal, prospective study, we sonographically assessed fetal CO in donors (n = 10) and recipients (n = 10) with TTTS after fetoscopic laser therapy, in monochorionic twins without TTTS (n = 20) and in normal singleton pregnancies (n = 20). The fetal CO of TTTS twins was determined 1 day and 1 week after laser treatment, and from then on every 2-4 weeks until birth. Twins without TTTS were examined biweekly until birth. Singletons were examined twice, with an 8-week interval, at different gestational ages between 17 and 35 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Absolute CO increased exponentially with advancing gestational age (P < 0.0001), and was significantly related to fetal weight in all groups (P < 0.0001). The median CO/kg in donors after laser therapy, recipients after laser therapy and non-TTTS monochorionic twins was significantly higher than that in singletons (all P < 0.001). Median CO/kg in donors after laser therapy, recipients after laser therapy, and non-TTTS monochorionic twins was not significantly different between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Monochorionic twins with TTTS have higher CO after laser therapy than normal singletons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sueters
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Middeldorp
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lopriore
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bökenkamp
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oepkes
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Teunissen
authors.forename: H H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kanhai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Le Cessie
authors.forename: F P H A
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Vandenbussche
mesh_terms: D001699:Biometry; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005330:Fetofetal Transfusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013577:Syndrome; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology